Cooperative Extension Service Communications and Technology Department 3354 1000 E. University Ave. Laramie, WY 82071 (307) 766-2540 • fax (307) 766-3998 • www.uwyo.edu

 

For Immediate Release

 

Contact: Robert Waggener, Editor

Phone: (307) 766-3571

E-mail: robertw@uwyo.edu

 

Date: Feb. 12, 2007

 

UW researchers studying hairy vetch toxicosis in cattle

                Two faculty members in the University of Wyoming’s College of Agriculture are studying why hairy vetch, which is grown as a livestock forage legume, can occasionally cause the fatal disease hairy vetch toxicosis in cattle.

            Cattle ingesting the plant occasionally come down with systemic granulomatous disease (commonly called hairy vetch toxicosis), which can be fatal, said Department of Veterinary Sciences Professor Leslie Woods.

            “No one knows why this happens,” she said.

            Granulomatous disease is a progressive, inflammatory disease, which invades many organs. The changes in an animal’s tissues look similar to tuberculosis (TB).

            “In fact, whenever we see a case, we first rule out TB with special stains,” she said.

            Woods collaborated with Associate Professor Dale Woods in the Department of Plant Sciences to determine if a fungus that infects the vetch causes this syndrome.

            “We were not able to reproduce the syndrome with the fungus, but studies are ongoing,” Leslie Woods said.

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